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MACINTOSH Ronald Mackenzie. MBE

MB BS FRACS FRCOG DGO FRACOG

1918 - 1991

Ronald Mackenzie Macintosh was born, on the 26th March 1918, in Glasgow, Scotland. His mother Catherine Macintosh brought him and his sister, Irene Margaret, to Adelaide, in 1924, when he was six years old. He was educated at Prince Alfred College and studied medicine at the University of South Australia, graduating in 1941. He married Marjorie Grace Black, the daughter of Harry Ash Black and Alice Elizabeth, nee Anderson. They were to have three sons, Craig, Justin and Peter.

MacIntosh was appointed Surgeon Lieutenant RANR on the 14th August 1941.  He named his mother as his next of kin. He was mobilised on the 10th August 1942. After induction and shore time at HMAS Torrens and Penguin, he was appointed to HMAS Australia where he served for 12 months. This was followed by a short time ashore and then to Hobart for three months. Hobart and Australia were part of the US Task Force 74 detached to Admiral Halsey's USN South Pacific Command. Hobart was hit aft near the wardroom by a Japanese torpedo on 20th July 1943, doing considerable structural damage, with the loss of six officers and seven sailors and another seven injured. MacIntosh was appointed a Member of the British Empire (MBE); “for his leadership and enterprise in recovering and treating the wounded”. He was then posted to Ping Wo from 30th July 1945 until March 1946. HMAS Ping Wo was a 3,105 tons former Indo-Chinese river steamer that was commissioned into the RAN, working in the Papua New Guinea area during World War II. It was one of a group of vessels known as the "China Fleet" acquired by the RAN in similar circumstances. Mackenzie’s appointment was terminated on the 12th December 1946 and he transferred to the RANVR on 19th December 1949. He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander RANVR on 26th September 1950 and assigned to the Retired List on the 31st March 1958.

Following the war, Macintosh began a career in obstetrics and gynaecology. He had a practice on Dequetteville Terrace, Kent Town and became an honorary consultant obstetrician to the QVMH and a senior visiting surgeon to the RAH. He was an excellent surgeon and known for his ability to operate either with his left or right hand. He obtained a private pilot license, which enabled him to fly to Renmark, in country SA, to provide services there. He was a man of many interests.  He excelled in sport, except golf and he learned Italian from his gardener.  He enjoyed water skiing with his speedboat at Victor Harbor where he owned a holiday home. Ronald Mackenzie Macintosh died on 29th August 1991, survived by his first and second wife and children.

Source

Blood, Sweat and Fears III: Medical Practitioners South Australia, who Served in World War 2. 

Swain, Jelly, Verco, Summers. Open Books Howden, Adelaide 2019. 

Uploaded by Annette Summers AO RFD